The road leading northeast out of Death Valley National Park that goes by Scotty’s Castle has been closed for several years due to flooding. The road is not expected to open before the fall of 2025. But some of the road is open. And being it is now a dead end road, few people take the time to traverse by Bonnie Claire Flat and the Bonnie Claire dry lake bed. Solitude, quiet, vistas, peace, beauty. These are just a few of the things we found on a recent trip driving south on U.S. 95 in southern Nevada.
The Race Track Playa in Death Valley NP is well known for the rocks that leave tracks on the playa. Sailing rocks aren’t confined to the Race Track Playa as can be seen in the image blow of the Bonnie Clair playa.
Death Valley National Park is just a stones throw to the west of this spot. And with the Scotty’s Castle road closed, this spot is devoid of people while Death Valley has crowds walking onto the salt flats at Bad Water.
When visiting this area today, it is desolate. When the road to Scotty’s Castle opens there will be more highway traffic, but few will take the time to stop along the way. This was not the case 150 years ago. Starting in the 1880s the area was crawling with miners searching for gold, silver, and lead. And they found it in this area. Old mine sites are common through this area. The townsite of Bonnie Claire had a railroad, post office, and about 100 residents around 1900. The mine was operated intermittently from the 1880s to the 1950s. And there was even a brief period of mining activity in 2004.
Only a half mile east of the mill site is another building and mine shaft. The building has been converted to the House of Quotes by those who take the time to stop and take a closer look.
It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, if you slow down, take a break, look for the small things, you can find beauty anywhere.
“You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.” – Andy Warhol
“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” —Khalil Gibran
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Thank you for reading. Be kind, be healthy, have fun, enjoy,
Paul